Re-Discovering NY: Pedestrian Protection

I spend a lot of my time driving...too much time driving, actually. Today, as I was running errands in Harlem for work. I was in such a rush and traffic on 125th was not moving (I didn't expect it to, just saying. And yes, I know, who the heck takes 125th when they're in a hurry?). As I approached the intersection of Adam Clayton Powell, the light turned yellow and I decided to try to make it. Alas, I got stuck in the middle of the intersection because of some pedestrians and a too slow moving car.

After a few seconds, I noticed the broad back of a young man in red standing directly in front of my car. He had his arms out like a crossing guard and was motioning for people to walk. To his left a young woman stood in front of a truck, similarly, with her arms held out as if to block oncoming traffic from careening into the pedestrians. Though the truck and I in the middle of the intersection managed to garner harried honks from the cars being blocked from crossing, I had to smile at the two civilian crossing guards protecting pedestrians with their bodies.

It's little things like that that make me really miss living in a city, close to other people, where I can watch, listen and constantly learn. They also really make me appreciate how communities continue to creatively adjust and strategize around ways to protect our people.